Amid speculation and outright misinformation, for years the scientific community has struggled to prove or disprove the mysterious link between genetics and homosexuality.

Since 2003, a nationally funded study by Chicago-area researchers has been exploring human sexuality in hopes of shedding light on the hypothesized link between a gay man’s genetic makeup and his environmental development.

The Molecular Genetic Study of Sexual Orientation plans to study an anticipated sample of 1,000 pairings of brothers who are gay to explore the possible connection between the physical and neurological makeup of gay men.

According to the research project’s Web site, “this research may clarify whether a specific genetic region influences the development of sexual orientation in males.”

By probing the natural genetic relationship between brothers’ chromosomes, researchers are hoping to find the region, or regions, that naturally predispose individuals to homosexuality.

Jack Girton, ISU professor of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, said the idea behind the study is to discover whether an individual’s genetic constitution may influence the “hard wiring,” or the placement of neurons, in one’s brain.

“There are some patterns that are known to give you different behaviors than others,” Girton said.

The project also gives questionnaires to participants, detailing personal experiences, medical histories, demographic traits and family backgrounds. The researchers hope this information will create a more holistic study that is relevant with the current theories regarding the topic.

“Most contemporary researchers believe that sexual orientation – the general disposition of people toward homosexuality, bisexuality or heterosexuality – is the result of both biological factors and psychological experiences,” according to the project’s Web site.

However, Girton said he is worried about the environmental variables attributed to studies typically comprised of siblings.

“If you have two brothers that grew up in the same household and show the same tendencies, how do you distinguish whether they share the same genes or the same environment?” Girton said.

Myke Selha, executive director of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center of Central Iowa, understands the positive ramifications of such a study but believes it will do little to achieve what some members of the gay community already know and feel.

“People within the LBGT community are beyond the point of really caring what the cause is, or if there is a connection, because discrimination should not be occurring regardless,” Selha said.

Selha said he has a half-brother who is gay.

Tim Borseth, co-pastor at Stonebrook Community Church, is worried that the research might cause more conflict between one’s homosexual tendencies and the Bible.

“[The research might affect] those leaning towards embracing that lifestyle; it could help them go ahead and depart from what the Scriptures say,” Borseth said, adding that his interpretation of Bible views homosexuality as strictly a moral deviance.

Neither Selha nor Borseth fear what the impact of the study will be. Both said they find security in their beliefs.